Jewel's Reincarnate: The 117th Generation
by ArtisticCatari
Summary: The 92nd generation was legendary for its wide array of talented chefs, but those times had been gone for a long, long time. Little did they know, a new generation was beginning to take root in Totsuki's history and this one would be just as chaotic as the last. Soma's turn is over, it's time for his daughter, Nana, to take the stage. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

_Hello! This is a project I've been working on for quite some time now, but I'm finally at a point where I can say welcome to chapter one of my Shokugeki no Soma Next Gen story! For now, the title of this fic will simply be "Shokugeki no Soma: The Next Generation" but as of right now, that is a work in progress title._

_This features several ocs of mine that I've been developing over the course of several months, but I do want to give a fair warning before we begin: There are many characters here that are based off of ships that are either 1. Unpopular compared to another ship or 2. Basically nonexistent. What I am saying is, the pairings I ship will NOT be identical to yours, so please read this with that in mind!_

_And finally, of course all canon characters belong to Yuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki!_

_With that said, let us begin, hope you enjoy it!_

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The 92nd generation, known to many as the Jewel Generation of Totsuki. This class was, and still continues to be, the only generation that managed to have so many graduates that couldn't simply be hand counted. Of course, each and every one of these children were incredibly talented chefs, who only honed their skills further while studying at the number one cooking school in Japan. Fighting their way through countless battles of skill and technique, they were able to survive and come out victorious amongst all the rest.

However… those days have long since passed. The generation that was once full of teenagers have now become adults.

Even so, the legacy of the Jewel Generation continues. Most had ended up in romantic relationships throughout their three years at Totsuki and eventually married post-graduation. One such relationship happened to be between Soma Yukihira and Megumi Tadokoro. Despite most having seen it from the beginning, these two hadn't realized their love for each other until third year, but nonetheless, ended up in a happy, healthy marriage. Having inherited it, Soma and Megumi now continue their lives as the head chefs of the Yukihira Diner.

But this story isn't about them. It is time for a new protagonist to take the stage and her name… is Nana Yukihira.

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**Chapter One – The Flower Begins to Blossom**

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In the daytime, the Yukihira Diner was just like any average restaurant. Customers would trickle in and out to enjoy the traditional, Yukihira-style dishes that no other diner could provide. It wasn't incredibly packed by any means, but not empty either. It was a balance that gave it the quaint, yet comforting atmosphere present in any old-fashioned restaurant.

It was during the evening when things began to liven up.

The time was around 7:00 PM, which meant the dinner rush was currently in session. Tables were filled to the brim with customers either waiting for their meal or happily eating the dishes created by the one and only Yukihira family.

"Hey, kid! I'll have an order of the Chicken and Vegetable Katsu!"

The kid in question, who was currently wearing the Yukihira Diner uniform, clicked his pen and began jotting down the customer's order on a notepad, "Chicken… and Vegetable… Katsu… gotcha! We'll have that ready for you as quickly as possible!" the boy flashed the customer a wide grin alongside a thumbs up.

He was quite young, about thirteen years old. He had bright, golden eyes and a head full of spikey, red hair. Additionally, he sported a blue hairclip that helped keep his bangs out of his face. The boy tore off the page with the man's order and placed it on the counter that separated the dining area from the kitchen. "We've got one order of Chicken and Vegetable Katsu." He said to the three chefs who were hard at work.

"Alright, thanks, Ryuu!" one of the three cooks, one that looked very similar to the kid, replied. Like Ryuu, he had spikey, red hair, though his was much longer and had begun to dull with age, as well as gold-colored eyes. He also had a bit of a beard on his chin, though it was wasn't much. This man was the one and only _Soma Yukihira._ Simply looking at him and Ryuu side-by-side, it was no doubt that these two were family.

Ryuu grinned once more and went back to taking the customer's orders. Meanwhile, the chefs in the kitchen worked on preparing the meals. The man who had responded to Ryuu before was currently working on cooking fried rice alongside his wife.

It must have been a family trait, as her eyes were, too, a brilliant golden color. Her deep blue hair was tied into a braid and she wore a floral hairclip that served a similar purpose to Ryuu's. Overall, she was fairly petite in stature. If she was cooking alongside Soma, then this woman couldn't be anyone except _Megumi Yukihira_.

Completing the rice, they filled four bowls and set them on the counter. "Order up!" Soma called to Ryuu, who took the bowls and proceeded to serve the table who ordered them. Turning back to the kitchen, Soma took the next order while Megumi had already begun preparing her next dish. Before beginning, however, he addressed the third cook in the kitchen.

"Hey, Nana! Think you can handle the Chicken and Vegetable Katsu?"

"No problem, dad! I've just finished the order for the daily special!"

Nana set the finished dish on the counter for Ryuu to take, then started preparing the Chicken and Vegetable Katsu. She was two years older than her brother, currently on the brink of completing her Junior High years. Like her mother, she was petite in size and her wild, deep blue hair was tied in a ponytail. Just like the other members of the Yukihira family, she had bright gold eyes. Notably, she wore a big hairclip that resembled a pastel-pink lily.

The sounds of a knife slicing through vegetables filled the area, as Nana sliced the carrots and courgette with swift, yet precise movements. She boiled some water in a saucepan, added a pinch of salt, then carefully added both of the ingredients. While that was busy boiling, Nana grabbed two boneless chicken breasts and, with the same swift motions, sliced the chicken breasts into four pieces each, then pounded them using a rolling pin to thin the slices out to about the size of sandwich bread.

Once the vegetables were done, Nana seasoned the chicken slices with salt and pepper and added a few slices of the cooked carrot and courgette slices on each piece and then placed a second layer of chicken onto them. She created an egg mixture using mustard, then proceeded to cover the sandwiches in breading, using flour, the egg mixture and breadcrumbs.

The aroma of fried chicken permeated through the kitchen as each sandwich was placed into a deep-frying pan. All Nana had to do left was create the sauce and slice a few cabbage leaves for serving. Once all of that was complete, she methodically placed each sandwich on a plate, put the sauce on the side and finally added the cabbage slices.

"Order up!" Nana called as she put the plate on the counter.

"Thanks, sis!" Ryuu replied as he took the plate and brought it to the customer who ordered it.

As Nana went to pick up her next order, she overheard the man complimenting her dish. Due to all the noises within the kitchen, she was unable to pick up anything exact, but she could hear something along the lines of, "This is delicious!" and "Your sister made this?! I'd say she improved a lot since she was just a little girl."

Nana couldn't help but smile to herself.

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The once bustling diner eventually became empty once the dinner rush ended and the place had closed for the day. "Nice work today, guys!" Soma said with his signature grin as he went around and gave everyone a high-five.

"All in a day's work, dad!" Ryuu replied as he winked and gave a thumbs up.

"I'm especially proud of you, Nana." Megumi smiled sweetly as she turned to look at her daughter, who's cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment.

"You are?" Nana asked.

Soma ruffled her hair, "Course we are, Sunflower! You've been improving a whole lot lately!"

Nana laughed, "Well, I'm being taught by the best!"

"That's right!"

"Anyway, I'm gonna go take care of the garden for the day. You don't need to help today, mom, you must be exhausted after the dinner rush."

"How sweet of you, Nana! If that's all right with you, then go ahead!"

"Okay, thanks!"

As Nana headed out the door that led to the back of the building, Soma held Megumi's hands in his own and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. "Our little flower's really starting to bloom, isn't she?" Soma asked her.

Megumi laughed, "She really is."

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It may have been dark outside, but that didn't stop Nana from partaking in her favorite hobby aside from cooking. The garden she's been tending to ever since she was little was truly a sight to behold. There were so many fruits and vegetables to be found in just this small area that any chef could consider it to be a culinary paradise. Nana turned on the outdoor light so she could see and grabbed a watering can and a pair of gloves.

Similar to an artist painting a portrait or a dancer performing a ballet, watching Nana tend to her garden was an art form in and of itself. She began by putting on her gloves and pulling out every weed she could find, making sure not to harm the plants in the process. Next, she watered each plant the exact amount they needed, never overwatering nor underwatering any of them. Despite how much these two jobs seemed like simple chores to a normal person, to Nana, this was her favorite part of the day.

There was one more thing to do before she headed back inside, as she had noticed several fruits ripe for picking. Nana took a wicker basket and began carefully picking them: rhubarb, apples, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. With her task complete, Nana took off her gloves and entered the kitchen once more to put all of the produce in the fridge. Satisfied with all the work done today, Nana went upstairs to her room.

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With her pajamas on and her homework for the day completed, Nana laid on her bed with her earbuds in, playing whatever was considered to be popular at the time.

_I can't believe I'm gonna be in Highschool soon… _Nana thought to herself, _in just a couple of days, I'll be leaving this place. At least, that's what mom and dad say. One thing I do know, is that I'm gonna miss being here, with the diner and the garden… But I'll finally be at a school where I can begin perfecting my cooking! Maybe… I'll finally make some real friends. That'd be nice… I just hope I'll be able to survive…_

These thoughts continued running through Nana's mind until a new noise began to block them out. _What is that? _It sounded like people arguing from downstairs. Nana got up and started down the stairs and as she did so, the people whom the voices belonged to became clear. Two of them belonged to her parents but the other one was someone she didn't recognize.

Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, Nana found her brother spying on the conversation from behind a wall. "Ryuu? What are yo-" she was stopped by Ryuu's hand covering her mouth.

"Shh. Listen." Ryuu whispered.

Nana peered around the wall separating the stairwell from the dining room to see Soma and Megumi speaking to a woman who was currently seated at a table, arms folded with one leg over the other. She looked to be about in her mid-twenties, and she was wearing some fairly formal attire. Her long, strawberry blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail and her gray eyes were covered with a pair of rectangular glasses. Looking at her closely, she had freckles dotted on her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"I was told this was supposed to be a restaurant. If that is the case, why am I being denied a meal?" the woman questioned.

"I'm sorry miss, but we closed an hour ago!" Megumi replied in a shaky voice.

"Sorry, lady, but you're gonna have to come back tomorrow." Soma added.

"I will not be tolerating your sorry excuses! If a customer arrives at an eatery starving, would you be so rude as to refuse to offer them sustenance because you're "closed"?!"

"Mam, I don't think that's how it works."

"Again with the excuses! I'll have you know I am an esteemed Journalist for Tokyo Magazine! If you continue to deny me service, then I'll write a poor review and bring this establishment down!"

"I, uh, think you might be overreacting!"

"Am I? Anyone would react in this fashion if they were treated this way! All I'm asking for is to have something sweet!"

_Something sweet? _Nana thought to herself. _Those fruits I picked earlier… I could definitely make something with them… But I can't just go and disobey mom and dad, can I? What do I do… _Nana closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them, _I know what I have to do. I can't just sit here and let the diner be shut down!_

"Where are you going?" Ryuu whispered as Nana began walking out from behind the wall to confront the three adults.

"Nana!?" Megumi exclaimed.

"Pardon me, miss, but may I ask for your name?" Nana asked the woman.

"And who might _you _be?" The woman replied in an irritable tone.

"Don't worry about her, she's just our daughter!" Soma responded before Nana could say anything. He walked over to her and whispered into her ear, "Nana, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry dad, I'll handle this." Nana whispered back and said once more, "I'd like to know your name, I'm Nana Yukihira!" She held out her hand to the woman.

"Emi Yoshida, journalist for Tokyo Magazine." The woman replied as she hesitantly shook Nana's hand.

"Well, Miss Yoshida, if it's something sweet you're looking for, you came to the right place!"

"What?!" Megumi and Soma exclaimed at the same time. "You know the rules, Nana. Our restaurant closes at 8:00 PM. It would be unfair to our regulars if we served anyone after that time!" Megumi scolded.

"I know that, mom, but it's clear that no matter what we say, Miss Yoshida won't leave without something to eat." Nana replied, "And besides, I wanted to make an agreement between us."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Emi questioned.

"Well, if I make something sweet for you, then you must promise to never come in after eight ever again." Nana stated. "Also…" she pointed a finger at Emi. "You'll have to write a positive review of the Yukihira Diner!"

Megumi gasped while Soma grinned and said, "Wow, Nana, nice one!"

Emi hesitated for a moment, then sighed and replied, "Very well. But ONLY if I actually enjoy the meal!"

"That works for me! Hey, Ryuu, I'm gonna need some help getting a few ingredients!"

"Uh, okay, sis!"

"Ryuu?! Were you two spying on us?"

"That's not important right now, mom!"

"Alright, Ryuu, I'm gonna need you to get me these ingredients." Nana said as she wrote something down on some notepad paper and handed it to her brother. "Can you do that for me?"

Ryuu read the entire list then gave Nana a thumbs up, "Sure thing! I'll get everything in no time!"

"Thanks! I knew I could count on you!" Nana smiled, then turned back to Emi, "Miss Yoshida, just sit tight. I'll have something sweet for you as soon as possible!"

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Nana began by preheating the oven and retrieving the fruits procured from the garden earlier from the fridge. Taking a kitchen knife, she carefully peeled the apples, making sure not to harm their cores. Then, with fast technique and absolute precision, she sliced them into equal parts.

"Hmm, I must admit that those fruits are some of the freshest I've seen." Emi observed as she took out a notepad and began scribbling down notes for her next article.

"That's right! My sister is one of the best cooks around!" Ryuu stated.

"She actually grew all of them herself. She's an avid gardener." Megumi added.

"Did she now? Impressive."

Nana had already cut the strawberries and was currently chopping the rhubarb. One thing that never went unnoticed when it came to her cooking skill was the sheer precision. Never once was one of the fruits cut unequally nor was there ever hesitation in her cuts. Once each and every fruit was sliced, Nana combined them in a mixing bowl along with sugar, cornstarch and tapioca.

Next, she mixed together the ingredients Ryuu brought her: flour, salt, shortening, eggs, water and vinegar. The sounds of her spatula scraping against the metal bowl could be heard as she fiercely stirred the mixture. It was honestly shocking how strong her arms were given her size. Once the dough was finished, Nana took some of the flour and spread it onto the counter. She divided the dough in half, making sure one side had more than the other, and placed the larger portion onto the floured surface. Using a rolling pin, she flattened the dough to fit the tin for her…

"A pie? That's what she is making?" Emi questioned, "Quite the odd choice. Pie isn't a very common dessert in Japan after all."

Once the crust and fruit mixture were added to the pie tin, Nana placed the unbaked pie inside the oven and set the timer for forty-five minutes.

"Now, all we have to do is wait." Nana instructed.

"So, Yukihira, I noticed you combined strawberries, apples, raspberries, rhubarb AND blueberries in your pie mixture. That is five whole fruits." Emi noted.

"Yeah, is that a bad thing?"

"Not particularly, I'm just surprised. Usually one would base a pie off of one fruit in particular, but here, there is not one, but five."

"That's right, I call it the Yukihira-style Five Fruit Pie! It's a dessert I like to try making using different combinations of fruits. I figured since I picked those five earlier, that I'd try out that combo."

"So, what you're telling me is, you just slapped together five random fruits and hoped they would taste good together?"

"Oh, not at all! It was honestly a miracle I had such a perfect combination of fruits already for the pie. You see, the mellow flavor of the apples bring balance to the sweetness of the berries and the rhubarb helps ease digestion so it's perfect for a late-night meal."

"Hmm… I never thought of it that way. It's fascinating how knowledgeable you are on plant life."

"Haha, well, cooking with fruits and vegetables has always been one of my specialties. There are so many different types and so much you can do with them! And especially when you grow them yourself, it's so satisfying to create a dish everyone enjoys…

I want to show people who I am through my cooking and this is exactly how I do it!"

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After a little while, Nana's pie was finally complete. It had a crisp, golden-brown crust with stars cut into it to show the mixture inside, which had combined to create a swirl of purple, blue and red.

"This looks amazing! Can't wait to dig in!" Soma exclaimed.

"This is even better than your last one!" Ryuu added.

"Well, everyone, I just want to say one thing before you all start eating…" Nana smiled brightly, "It's a pleasure to serve you!"

"I must say, this looks absolutely delicious, but let's see how it stacks up in taste…" Emi said.

At once, all four of them took a bite of the pie and were immediately whisked away into a fantasy. They found themselves in a garden, much like the one just behind the diner, except the fruits were enormous and they were tiny in comparison. Suddenly, waves of each fruit's individual juices began washing over them, swirling together into a psychedelic rainbow.

"WOW THIS IS AMAZING!" Ryuu shouted as he went to take another bite.

"You said it, Ryuu!" Soma agreed, mimicking his son.

"This is wonderful, Nana! Each of the fruits blend together perfectly!" Megumi complimented.

Nana blushed, "Thank you everyone! What about you, Miss Yoshida?"

The family looked at their customer, but she didn't respond. Why? Because was busy furiously writing on her notepad.

"What a marvelous dish! Why, I don't believe I've tasted anything of such splendor in my life! This isn't just a Five Fruit Pie, no, this is good enough to be considered Five Star cuisine! That's it! I shall call this dessert the Five Star-Five Fruit Pie!"

"Haha, I think she liked it." Soma stated, then he walked over to Nana and placed his free hand on her shoulder, "I'm really proud of you, Sunflower. Way to take the initiative!"

Nana looked up at her father and smiled, "Thanks, dad!"

"This restaurant must be more well-known! There is no way I'm allowing food of this caliber go to waste!"

"Okay, lady, you can go now. And remember the deal." Soma began pushing Emi out of the diner.

"Yukihira, I can assure you that with your talent, you will be going places!"

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It was now the following day and Nana was currently in her bed, sleeping. She had been exhausted after the previous night and she was happy to get all the rest she needed.

Or at least, she wished that were the case.

"Hey, sis! Wake up, mom and dad need you!" Ryuu exclaimed, but his sister was still sound asleep.

"Uhh, Nana? Hellooooo?" Ryuu tried again, this time shaking Nana, but to no avail.

"Alright, third times the charm…" Ryuu then readied himself and jumped, "WAKE UP!" He shouted as he jumped straight on to Nana's back. Needless to say, this one definitely woke her.

"RYUU WHAT THE HECK?!" Nana exclaimed, ever so slightly pissed off about her rude awakening.

"Sorry, sis, mom and dad need you." Ryuu explained.

"Huh? Why?"

"Did you forget?"

"Forget about what?"

"Your entrance exams…?"

Nana went silent for a moment, then her once tired eyes widened, "That's right! I totally forgot!" She immediately got up and, after Ryuu left her room, got dressed and ready for the day.

"Sorry I slept in, I hope we're not too late!" Nana said to her parents after heading downstairs.

"Don't worry, Sunflower, we'll get there in time." Soma assured.

"Your father's right, but we should get going." Megumi said.

After some time, the three eventually made it to the train station.

"Well, here's where we split off." Soma stated.

"I know you're going to do excellent, Nana." Megumi added, "But, just in case you're nervous…" She presented Nana with an Omomori, a good luck charm. "My mother gave me this when I started Highschool. I believe you should have it now."

Nana took the Omomori and clutched it to her chest, "Thank you mom! I'll treasure it, always."

Soma grinned, "And don't forget where you started!" He gestured to her flower hairclip.

Nana laughed, "I won't, I promise. See you guys soon!"

_Little did she know, Nana was about to begin her journey at Totsuki, the number one cooking school in Japan. Not only that, but she'll soon meet the ones who will change her life forever…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

_Hello and welcome back! For those who weren't aware, you were probably confused by the title change. After a few different ideas, I decided to stick with the name "Jewel's Reincarnate: The 117__th__ Generation" for this fic. But I'd also like to say something before getting into this next chapter._

_Please, keep in mind that SHIPPING IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! Bullying people and downgrading their work just because it features a ship you don't like is petty and just makes you out to be an asshole. So, don't do it, okay? If you really can't stand it, then just… don't read my story. I'm not gonna put anything against you as long as you don't attack me! I didn't want to have to say this, but I feel like it's necessary for not just me but for all the people who are victims or attackers in ship wars. Unless this gets out of hand, this will be the last time I bring this up. _

_And finally, thanks to all of you who have supported me thus far! I greatly appreciate it and hope you enjoy this chapter!_

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One train ride later, Nana found herself gazing up at Totsuki, the number one cooking school in Japan. This was where she would create her future as a high-class chef but what she didn't expect was just how much she wouldn't fit in.

"It sure is… big." Nana muttered to herself. She certainly wasn't wrong, as the place was surrounded with several large buildings protected by gates and bodyguards. To a commoner like her, this school was a kingdom compared to the little shopping district she was used to. The competition didn't help the situation, either. Every kid was accompanied by a limousine and at least one guard. Nana would be lying if she didn't feel completely out of place here.

Suddenly, Nana felt a buzz coming from her phone. She took it out of her pocket and saw she had a notification, a text from her father.

_ "Hey… so something I forgot to mention, this isn't gonna be your ordinary cooking school. This place is filled with Elites and the graduation rate? Under 10%! So… good luck, Sunflower! I'm sure you'll be just fine, love you!"_

As she read Soma's message, Nana felt her stomach churn and her eyes widened in shock.

"WHAT?!"

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**Chapter Two – Festival of Herbs**

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"Okay… okay! Don't worry, Nana, you'll get through this. Just like dad said!" Nana continued muttering words of encouragement to herself as she scribbled the word "human" on the palm of her hand with her index finger. "The people here can't be that scary, right?" Oh, how wrong she is.

With her newfound motivation, Nana began marching towards the sea of rich kids. She heard them bragging to each other about the "high-class" restaurants their families own and all of their expensive clothing and accessories. _Hmph, money will get you nowhere… _Nana thought to herself bitterly. She never was a fan of rich kids, all they do is flaunt their wealth. What she was waiting for was someone truly elite, someone who had some bite to their bark.

Following the plan she was given, Nana eventually led herself to a small garden area which she stopped to admire. It was quite lush and beautiful despite its size and clearly handled with care. For a moment, the blue-haired girl actually felt at home, until an annoying voice ruined everything.

"Now, what do we have here! Someone who clearly does NOT belong here." This caught Nana's attention for sure. She swirled around to see a girl, who judging by her expensive uniform, was definitely another rich kid. She was tall and thin, with light brown skin and short, curly, platinum blond hair. Her eyes were a dark brown, sharp and judgmental. "I can see it in that cheap uniform of yours. A diner girl, am I correct?"

"That's right, is there a problem with that?" Nana began to feel her blood boil with anger.

The girl smirked, "Do you honestly think a simpleton like you could EVER be accepted into this school?" Nana's eyes narrowed and she kept silent. "No response? How pathetic, you can't even defend yourself. Just another cutesy little girl from her cutesy little restaurant! How typical."

"Shut up."

"And why should I? Did I hurt your feelings?"

"You keep on talking like you know ANYTHING about me!"

"I don't need to read your diary to know that if your family doesn't own a five-star restaurant, then they're nothing but low-class."

"Low-class?! You can't base my family's cuisine based off of something like that!"

"Oh, really? Do you even know who I am, girlie? Of course you do, I'm only the great Kiriko Sekozawa, heiress to "Lunar's Eve", the best place for gourmet Korean cuisine!"

"Umm… no offense but… I've never heard of you or your restaurant."

Kiriko gasped dramatically, loud enough to get the attention of everyone else in the immediate area. "Well, of course YOU wouldn't know someone famous like me! You're only a simple DINER GIRL AFTER ALL! Nothing more." Nana gritted her teeth as Kiriko grabbed her collar and shoved her to the ground, the kids around her staring with disgusted expressions.

"Learn your place, commoner." Kiriko stated as she walked away, laughing. But as she was about to leave, Nana spoke up.

"People like you make me sick. You run your mouths off as if you've ever truly experienced what it's like to be a real chef! Hiding behind your family name and bragging about all your expensive clothes and jewelry won't get you very far. So, don't act surprised when those walls come crashing down because then you'll be the one who's "low-class"." Nana got up and walked past Kiriko, her head hung low.

"Don't EVER underestimate me."

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Completely and utterly heated after that argument, Nana was ready to take on the entrance exam. She was assigned to be in Group B, unfortunately the same group Kiriko was in. The two girls locked eyes with each other the entire way to the room where they would hold the exam. While most wore the traditional white chef's uniform, Nana wore the uniform from the Yukihira Diner, a blue shirt with "Yukihira" written on the back in white, gray pants and a white apron. She also wore a headband the same shade of white to keep her bangs out of the way.

The group of examinees waited in the room for quite some time, until a boy wearing the Totsuki uniform entered.

"Hello everyone, my name is Hibiki Hayama. I will be overseeing your exams today."

Everyone in the room, except for Nana, became panic-stricken. Whispers were heard all over, saying things like, "He's the son of the master of spices himself, Akira Hayama! Not to mention the medicinal expert, Hisako Hayama!", "Both of them are alumnis, right?", "We're so screwed! My cousin told me he's one of the top chefs and that his knowledge of spices and herbs are unparalleled!"

It was clear by his height that Hibiki was older than everyone in the room, most likely a second year. His skin was a deep tan and his medium-length, pink hair was tied in a ponytail. His eyes were green in color, warm yet strict.

"If all of you would be quiet, I'd like to explain all of the requirements of the dish you are to make." Despite the cold tone, Hibiki had a smile on his face. It was honestly pretty disturbing. "Now then…" He walked over to a nearby counter that was covered with a white sheet. With a flourish, he revealed what lied on the counter. A whole array of different varieties of herbs. The examinees all gasped as Hibiki continued his explanation.

"You will create a dish using one or more of these herbs. You can make anything you like as long as at least one of these herbs is an ingredient. A simple task, is it not?" No one seemed to agree aside from Nana. She had studied a little on herbs in the past and has grown a few in her garden but there were some herbs that even she didn't recognize. Everyone else, however, began cracking under the pressure. Several of them ran right out of the room in a panic.

_Why would they leave? He said it was going to be easy. _Nana thought, completely oblivious to the situation.

"Well, with that said," Hibiki continued as if nothing happened, "Everyone may begin."

In an instant, the remaining examinees scrambled to a workstation and began planning their dish. While most went for a simple meat-based meal with an herb as a garnish, Nana wanted to do something more complicated.

_Alright, so he wants a dish that includes herbs as an ingredient… Well, everyone else seems to be going for the same thing, so I need to make something that REALLY stands out! If I want to do that, then I'll have to go the extra mile and make my herb the main ingredient. What could work… a salad? Nah, that's too basic. I could make a pesto with herbs and do some kind of pasta, but I want something that'll really surprise him… Wait a second, that's it!_

.

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Hibiki's green eyes scanned everyone's work with little interest. There were steaks being grilled, chickens being baked, fish being fried. All of it was the same basic concept, a main dish with a random herb selected to garnish it. No thought put into it whatsoever.

_Disregarding the requirement already, I see. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from them anyway. Even so, I have to admit it's rather insulting to see an ingredient with such incredible potential be treated so insignificantly. People always take herbs for granted and only think about their precious main ingredient, such a shame…_

The pink-haired boy was so entrapped in his thoughts that he barely noticed a girl with blue hair and a flower hairclip walk up to the counter of herbs. He watched as she inspected each type and selected not one, but three different variants: sansho, shiso and mint. Hibiki watched her with curiosity as she made her way back to her station with the three herbs in hand.

_Now that one… Her dish will be interesting for sure._

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"This is absolutely ridiculous! How could I, the great Kiriko Sekozawa, fail?!" Kiriko slumped down in the corner along with the other candidates who already failed, her arms crossed. "Our traditional Korean Galbi is one of the most popular dishes at Lunar's Eve! How could it have failed?" She thought back to what Hibiki had told her, trying her best to comprehend it.

"_Is this a joke to you? I don't have to taste this to know that you completely ignored the requirement until the last minute. You could have done so much more with these herbs and what did you do? Just sprinkle ginger on your meat. What your dish lacks is creativity, something you cannot go to Totsuki without. You may go now."_

Everyone else had made the same mistake, all except one, who was the last to present her dish. Nana walked up to Hibiki holding a plate of spring rolls, but there was something special about them.

"Nana Yukihira, it's a pleasure to serve you." Nana greeted with a bow.

"Ah, Yukihira, you're the last one. And it seems as if they saved the best for last." Hibiki observed the dish before him. They were spring rolls, sure, but they were filled with vegetables and herbs of all different kinds and wrapped up with rice sheets.

"I present to you, Vegetarian Spring Rolls!"

"How creative. I would've expected something more akin to a salad, but this has much more originality, very nice." Everyone gasped, could this diner girl really be the one to pass? Hibiki smelled the dish for a moment. "Just as I thought. Sansho, Shiso and Mint, correct?"

"That's right."

"Interesting combination. Let's see how it fares in taste." Everyone watched in suspense as Hibiki picked up a spring roll and took a bite. He chewed for several seconds then suddenly his eyes shot open.

"Amazing! I've never tasted something so energizing before!"

His entire persona shifted. His calm exterior became energetic and lively. It was almost as if he went backwards in age, even his appearance looked younger.

"So many textures and flavors! They all work together so wonderfully! Now, tell me Yukihira, these herbs, why did you choose them?"

"Well… I've researched on herbs before and I read all about their healing properties…" Nana began. "I chose Sansho because it's known for the energizing feeling it gives you, the shiso contains a lot of healthy vitamins and mint is great for digestion! I figured that'd be nice since you've been eating all of these meat dishes."

"Ah, so that's why it feels so revitalizing… it almost reminds me of mother…" Hibiki's eyes began welling up with tears but he wiped them away quickly with his sleeve. "Yukihira, today you've shown me that you have exactly what it takes to be a member of this school. I look forward to seeing what you can do at Totsuki!"

Nana took out her ponytail holder with a flourish, "It wasn't much!"

.

.

After the exam's end, Nana was prepared to head back home, when Kiriko of all people stopped her.

"Hey… so, I wanted to apologize for all the things I said earlier. I know now that you are a totally talented chef! So, sorry for judging you and all…"

Nana looked at her directly in the eyes, "And I'm sorry too… for not accepting your apology."

Kiriko's eyes widened, "What?!"

"You heard what I said." Nana began walking past her, "People who insult my family can't just say they're sorry and hope I'll accept it. My kindness is only given to those who deserve it." She looked back at Kiriko with eyes as sharp as a kitchen knife.

"So, how about you "learn your place"?"

Kiriko doubled back, jaw-dropped. Meanwhile, Nana walked away, her entrance exam over and her having been accepted into Totsuki.

_But now, it's time for the real challenges to begin…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

_Hello again! I'll make this quick but thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far! It really helps to keep me motivated!_

_Hope you enjoy this next chapter!_

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.

A woman was seated at a desk looking over some papers. She was well-developed, with flowing, blonde hair and violet eyes. The office she was in was quiet, with nothing more than the slow ticking of a clock filling the silence. That is, until suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"You may enter." She stated.

The door opened to reveal Hibiki, who held a sheet of paper in his hand. "Greetings, Nakiri- Sama, the transfer exams have just concluded, and I have received the results from everyone."

Without looking up from her desk, the woman responded, "Any who passed?"

"Yes, there is one, I have her information right here. She had taken my exam, she was an interesting one." Hibiki handed her the sheet of paper and quickly exited the office.

The woman placed the paper over top of the current stack and took a look at it. While the face and hair color of the girl seemed familiar it was the name that truly shocked her.

"Nana Yukihira."

"Yuki… hira…" The woman's eyes widened at the sight of the name she knew all too well. Her lips formed a smile and she thought, _Ah, so they've finally let their daughter enroll here, hmm? Well, I mustn't break my promise to them regardless. But it seems as if the final piece is in place… _

She rose from her seat, "The jewels have finally returned."

.

**Chapter Three – Tropical Storm**

.

As cherry blossoms flowed in the wind, children dressed in royal blue uniforms entered the Totsuki gates, ready for the first day of their high school lives to begin. Everyone made their way to the place in which the opening ceremony would be held. They stood in rows where they faced a stage with a boy stepping up to it.

He was of average height and stature, with navy-blue hair and dark gray eyes. The tie that the boys would normally wear was tied like a bow tie. In his hand, he held a microphone.

"Good day my fellow students and welcome back to Totsuki! You all know me already I'm sure, but for those of you living under a rock, my name is Daiki Sato!" He spoke confidently and clearly, as if his true career path was to be a gameshow host rather than a chef. Several of the girls in the crowd swooned at his name, while the boys glared at him with hostility.

Daiki then made a long speech celebrating everyone for making it to their first year of high school. Additionally, he gave some instructions and allowed for others to make speeches.

After what seemed like hours, he announced, "It is now time for our representative to take the stage. Please welcome our valedictorian, Soren Nakiri…" Daiki said the name with what was clearly a tone of envy.

As the boy made his way to the center stage, whispers could be heard all around.

"Ahh, it's Soren-kun!"

"He's so dreamy isn't he?"

"The son of the queen of Molecular Gastronomy and the master of Seafood! Not to mention the nephew of the headmistress and brother of Ria-sama!"

"You'd be crazy to not want to have a date with him…"

"His looks combined with his talent truly makes him worthy of the title "Lovestruck Prince"!"

These whispers continued and almost every girl in the area (and even some of the boys) squealed with just one glance, far exceeding their actions towards Daiki. And who could blame them?

Soren is what some would refer to as the vision of perfection. His spiky, white hair flared out in the back, with one long strand in the front and a longer bang on his left. He was quite pale, with bright-red eyes that looked calm and collected. Instead of the usual royal-blue uniform, he wore a yellow sweater with the blouse and tie underneath.

He bowed and was presented the class badge, then walked off the stage, leaving both girls and boys swooning.

"And now, please welcome…" Daiki paused for dramatic effect. "Our beloved headmistress, Erina Nakiri-sama!"

Everyone in the crowd gasped, "That's her… the God Tongue…" one student muttered.

"She's the most Elite chef around! She's practically dominating the culinary world with her skill…"

"Having her even taste a dish would be a huge honor!"

Like Soren, Erina did not seem fazed by the children's whispers and began speaking, "Hello everyone, I'd like to welcome all of you to the high school division." She spoke with a sophisticated tone and every word that came from her mouth sent shivers down everyone's spines. "There are a few things to know before you all take on these next three years."

Her expression darkened, "The chances of you making it to your third year is highly unlikely and more than half of you will be expelled. Middle school may have been all fun and games but now, you are on the battlefield where only the strong survive."

Many students gulped at this declaration.

"Remember what you have learned, all of the skills you've been honing will be put to the test. For those of you strong enough to survive, fame and glory await you. You will truly be Elite chefs and your future in the culinary world will be set. But as I've stated, it will not be easy for you. Competition is key." Erina smiled, "Finally, do remember to enjoy yourselves. After all, why are you here if cooking isn't your passion?"

With a flourish, Erina turned and walked away, leaving the crowd silent, but with motivation burning in their hearts. In their minds, they would be one of the few to make it to the end.

"There is still one more announcement!" Daiki exclaimed, causing everyone to look at him quizzically. "We have a new transfer student! Please welcome… Nana Yukihira!"

At first, no one walked up to the stage, leaving everyone confused. After a few awkward moments of silence, a girl slowly made her way to the stage, visibly shaking. Everyone stared at her with bated breath, while Soren watched her with interest.

"U-Um… H-Hi, m-my name is, N-Nana Y-Yukihira and I…" Nana stuttered as she spoke. Speaking in front of crowds was always a great fear of hers. Even with the microphone, her speech was quiet, so much in fact that several students in the back had to lean in to hear.

"I a-am looking f-forward to, um, b-being here and, um, p-perfecting my c-cooking…" Her face was red, and she looked down at her feet. People quickly began to lose interest and just pegged her as another cannon fodder.

Suddenly, the girl took a deep breath and took off her floral hairclip, pressing it close to her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them.

"I may be just a commoner to you all, but I can assure you that I've been cooking for years and my skills can easily compare with yours, whether I'm from a diner or not!" Although her voice was still shaky, she gained a sudden boost of confidence that surprised everyone.

"So, just… don't underestimate me!"

Everyone's jaw dropped the second they heard it. So, she was someone from a diner? And she claims that her cooking can rival everyone else's? This, combined with the sudden shift in speech had everybody at a loss for words. Although, there were some in the crowd who saw her speech as a challenge.

"_Hehehe_, did you hear that? That girl is from a diner like us~" One girl said to another.

"Yeah, I heard it alright. I'm definitely gonna challenge her." The other girl replied.

"Um, that's all!" Nana stated quickly and zoomed off the stage in an instant. As she walked behind the screens anxiously, she couldn't help but exchange a glance with the so-called "prince" of the school.

Soren watched her sit down, face still red. Not wanting to bother her in her current state, he simply smiled to himself.

.

.

Once the ceremony concluded, the children all made their way to their first class of the new year. According to Nana's schedule, she would be with Kanichi Konichi.

"Good morning class." Kanichi greeted once everyone was in the room. He was quite a tall man, with a pompadour that gave him the look of a Bosozoku. He also sported a mustache and a goatee. It is said that he was a part of the 91st generation, just one year away from the famous jewel-generation. The most notable accomplishment of his, aside from graduating by the skin of his teeth, was his role as the president of the Don RS. Upon graduation, he decided to become a teacher of the academy.

"Thank goodness we're with Chef Konichi, he's without a doubt the easiest to please." One student whispered to another.

"Yeah, this'll be an easy class for sure." The other kid whispered back.

Unfortunately for them, Kanichi had overheard the whispers and stared at the ground dejectedly, his pompadour drooping downward. "Do you all really think I'm that pathetic?" He asked, tracing the floor dust with a finger.

Despite the fact that practically everyone was thinking it, the kid raised both of his hands and assured, "No of course not! You're one of our favorite teachers!"

In the blink of an eye, Kanichi was back to his usual self, "Well, of course you'd all think that! Now, onto the lesson plan…"

_This might not be so bad! Chef Konichi seems like a nice person, although a little strange… _Nana thought to herself.

"As you are all now in the High School division, you will be cooking in these assigned pairs."

As Kanichi began listing off the groups, Nana looked around at the potential partners she could get. _I sure hope I don't get paired up with one of those snobby rich kids. I'm sure this place is filled with them…_

After what seemed like hours, Kanichi called, "And lastly… Nana Yukihira and Soren Nakiri."

The whole class went quiet and Nana was in a state of shock, "H-Hah?!" She was to be paired up with the most popular boy in her year? She thought back to some of the kids she knew back in Middle School that were considered popular and they were all the same rich braggarts she saw at the entrance exams.

_Oh god, this can't be good…_

Nana felt a light tap on her shoulder and she turned to see Soren grinning brightly. "Ah, you're the transfer, right? How lucky that I'm the one that gets to meet you first!"

The girl felt a blush form on her face as Soren took her hand in his own and kissed it gently, just as a prince would do. "I assume you know me already but let me introduce myself. My name is Soren Nakiri and it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Nana Yukihira, the pleasure's all mine…" She responded, her voice a little shaky due to all the people surrounding her giving her hostile glares, the girls in particular hissing at her. "Umm, does everyone normally…?"

"Ah, my apologies. This happens a lot actually… It's best to try ignoring them." Soren responded a little nervously. He quickly said to Kanichi, "Can you continue the lesson, please?"

"Of course! Now, today you are all going to work with your assigned partner to make a salmon dish." Kanichi explained as he wrote down the assignment on a chalkboard. "You are free to take creative liberties with your dishes as long as salmon is the main ingredient."

Nana overheard most of the other pairs talking about making a salmon rice bowl since it would be the easiest to receive a high grade with, but she had different plans. Before she could explain her plan to Soren, however, he quickly turned to her.

"Nana-chan, I have a great idea of what we could make! My father taught me about cooking salmon when I was younger."

_That's right, people were saying his dad was the "Master of Seafood"._

"Oh, okay, then what do you have in mind?"

"We'll marinade the salmon in miso and put it on a bed of rice!"

"That sounds like a great idea but could I suggest-"

"If you don't mind, Nana-chan, could you make the rice for our dish? I just want to make sure your first day is as easygoing as possible."

"Oh…" Nana trailed off dejectedly. She had another idea for the salmon, but she understood Soren's point of view, nonetheless. Besides, the main ingredient would be better in his hands anyway considering she knew less about seafood than him. She smiled, "Yeah, I can do that!"

"Perfect! You and I will make a fantastic team, I'm sure of it! I'll go get the ingredients." Soren ran off to retrieve the salmon he is to cook while Nana started preparations on the rice.

Meanwhile, Kanichi watched the two of them diligently. He had recognized Nana's last name instantly when first looking through the names of the students who were to be in his class. And what's more, the fact that she was paired up with a Nakiri? That had brought back memories from his days at Totsuki.

_So she's their daughter, eh? I wonder how they'll work together._

.

.

Since Soren never mentioned a specific type of rice, Nana figured it would be okay for her to choose herself. Plain old steamed rice would be much too bland for a dish like this, so she had chosen to cook ginger rice. It has a sweet, sharp aroma and provides many health benefits, not to mention it suits the miso-marinated salmon better than garlic rice for example.

As Nana worked on her part, Soren prepared the miso for his marinade. Normally, a miso-marinade would take around three days to prepare but Soren had a method that only took 50 minutes, just enough time to marinate the salmon. Once his marinade was mixed, he placed the salmon on a baking sheet and coated it with the mixture by pouring it overtop and turning it over. Finally he placed the salmon in the oven and turned on the timer.

_I wonder how Nana-chan is doing…_ Soren thought to himself as his nose was suddenly hit with a sweet aroma. He turned to the direction of the scent to see Nana working on her rice. "Ah, that smells wonderful!" Soren commented, grabbing Nana's attention.

She turned around, "Thank you, Soren-kun! How is the salmon going?"

"I've just finished marinating it and it's cooking in the oven now."

"Wait… what did you say?"

"Hmm? It's cooking in the oven right now… is there a problem?"

"Well… from my experience, miso burns easily which is why you refrigerate it before cooking…"

Soren's eyes suddenly shot open, "Did I forget!?" He quickly turned and opened the oven and (without oven mitts) he retrieved the salmon and…

It was burnt.

Soren was at a loss for words. He just completely ruined their dish, something that never happened before. His whole body was shaking, and other pairs turned to him with horrified looks.

"Soren-kun… are you okay?" Nana asked with concern.

"I-I'm so sorry Nana-chan… This was supposed to be an easy first day for you… but now I..." The boy hung his head low so that his bangs shadowed his eyes. _Now, what will she think of me… What will mom and dad think, or Aunt Erina, or Ria…_

"Why are you freaking out so much? We still have 40 minutes." Nana said, snapping Soren back to reality.

"Huh? But I won't have enough time to remake the miso-marinade."

Nana put her hand on his shoulder, "Sure, we don't have enough time to make that but there's always other options! As my dad would tell me, 'No matter what, a good chef will always provide for their customers'".

"I understand but…"

"Relax, you can't cook when you're so tense. Besides, what kind of chefs are we if we can't complete one simple dish?"

Soren hesitated for a moment then sighed and smiled, "You're right…"

"I have an idea on what we can do! And we have plenty of time to make it work!"

"Alright then, I'll follow your lead."

.

.

By the time Nana and Soren were nearly completed with their dish, the rest of the class had finished theirs and received their grades from Kanichi, most being As and Bs.

"Wow, I can't believe Soren-kun hasn't finished his dish yet. He's usually the first."

"Yeah… Apparently it was ruined somehow. Probably that Yukihira's fault, typical for a commoner…"

"I'm worried they might not even be able to finish…"

Everyone's gossip was soon silenced by the remaining pair, who walked up to the front of the classroom where Kanichi sat at his desk, holding a plate.

"Chef Kanichi, we are pleased to present our dish, Tropical Salmon!" Soren stated with a flourish.

"It's a pleasure to serve you." Nana added with a bow.

"Tropical salmon… Can't say I've seen something quite like it before." Kanichi said, gazing at the meal placed before him.

It was a visually appealing fish, with a pinkish exterior that had a glazed finish. Garnished with an assortment of herbs and spices, as well as a few lemon slices, the plating was clearly done carefully and with grace. Finally, the salmon laid upon a bed of steamy, ginger rice.

"It looks delicious. Very impressive considering the major setback you two had if I remember correctly."

Soren nervously averted his gaze, "Ahaha, well, I suppose it worked out well in the end…"

"We'll see about that, time for the tasting…" Kanichi dug into the tender fish with his chopsticks and was shocked to see how easily it cut through. With a gulp, he ate the delicacy and in an instant, he was whisked away from reality. The man found himself sitting on a beach chair, looking out at the clear, blue sea with salmon jumping in and out. Sunlight poured onto his bare chest and he found himself taking a sip from a glass of…

"Pineapple juice! There's no mistaking that tangy flavor!" Kanichi exclaimed.

Nana nodded, "That's right! Pineapple juice contains enzymes that break down the salmon's proteins, allowing it to fully bake in a shorter amount of time. It also provides a tangier flavor that better accents the various spices we used to season it. We tried our best to make it as close to Soren-kun's original idea as possible." Nana explained.

"What a brilliant idea! Not only does the pineapple juice allow for you to make up for lost time but it even makes the fish more tender and flavorful!" Kanichi continued eating happily, his pompadour shooting upwards.

"The ginger rice also creates a sweet aroma that, paired with the main dish itself, will certainly grab the consumer's attention." Soren added.

Kanichi drew in a long breath and he smiled brightly, "Ahh, it is wonderful! Even though I've enjoyed nearly every dish today, I feel as though this one is truly special, and I have to congratulate you two for that." Nana and Soren looked at each other excitedly, then back at Kanichi. "What you two have cooked is not just a good meal but an experience. Like, a tropical paradise! For that, you get an A!"

"We did it, Soren-kun!" Nana exclaimed.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Nana-chan. Thank you." Soren replied, and the two gave each other a high-five.

"Congratulations, but, Soren-kun, you don't need to be so modest with her." One of the other students said, causing the duo to turn and look towards the rest of the class.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Soren questioned.

"Come on, you've always been the top student in our year and the first to complete all of your assignments. There is no way your dish could have been ruined if _she _didn't get paired up with you." The student pointed a finger straight at Nana, who flinched in response.

"A lowly diner girl like you has no right to be cooking alongside such a talented chef!"

Everyone else murmured in agreement and Nana felt the hairs on her neck bristle as her anger began to rise. She had went through this already during the entrance exams! Can't people just give her a break? Before she could speak, however, Soren faced the class.

"That's enough. I am responsible for burning the salmon. Not Nana-chan, _me_." The room immediately fell silent and even Nana looked at the boy in shock. Soren placed a hand on Nana's shoulder, "If it wasn't for her, we would've failed the assignment. Just because she is from a different background does _not _mean she should be treated differently from anyone else! Each and every one of us are chefs and that means that we are defined by our skills in the kitchen, not where we come from or who we are related to. So, please treat her with more respect."

"Soren-kun…" Nana murmured.

"Well… if that's what you wish Soren-kun… then I apologize." The student said after a moment of hesitation. The boy merely sighed in response and although Nana knew the apology wasn't genuine she still smiled and turned to Soren.

"Thank you for that."

"Of course, I only spoke the truth."

.

.

By the end of the day, Nana and Soren were the only two remaining in the classroom, putting away the ingredients they had used.

"Hey, Nana-chan… sorry again for what happened today, I didn't mean to act so selfish…" Soren spoke, cutting the silence.

The girl laughed in response, "I already said it's fine, these sorts of things happen all the time. Besides, it worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"Yes, you're right. I really enjoyed working with you."

"Same here! Your knowledge of seafood is really something, the salmon wouldn't have been cooked nearly as well without your abilities!"

Soren blushed, "Thank you, I'm glad I was able to be of some help! Oh, and um, also…"

Nana looked back at him with a head tilt, "Hmm?"

The boy hesitated, then simply sighed and smiled, "Never mind, it isn't important…" Nana turned back to the shelf and continued sorting the ingredients while Soren watched her.

_This might be the first time in a while… that someone treated me like an equal._


	4. Chapter 4

"Ugh… I feel like I've been walking for hours! It's supposed to be on campus right? How can one school be this big…" Nana said to herself as she walked drowsily through the enormous grounds of Totsuki. After all the work done today, she was completely exhausted. When it came to a place to stay, her parents told her about the Polar Star Dorm, which was the only dorm available on school grounds. They even said it was the same living quarters they stayed in when they went to Totsuki and that in order to get a room, she had to earn it through cooking.

So, here Nana was, with two entire bags of groceries in hand filled with ingredients she is to use for the entrance test.

"I'm definitely not looking forward to walking all the way to school and back every day…" Nana muttered. "But on the bright side, maybe this place will be super fancy just like the school itself! I mean, they seem to have a ton of money, so it has to look nice, right?"

Her question would soon be answered, as Nana finally arrived at her destination. It was decent-looking at best, nothing too special. The place looked as if it was recently renovated and it was surrounded by a dense forest, with shadows looming overhead ominously.

"Well, this isn't exactly what I imagined…"

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**Chapter Four – Beneath the Polar Stars**

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"Scary…" Nana said aloud as she gazed at the building upon her. "Kinda reminds me of a haunted house or something. But this has to be the place mom and dad were talking about, I just can't believe people actually live here." The girl sauntered to the two giant doors and hesitantly pushed them open to see nothing but darkness. Before her was a hall with a giant staircase.

"H-Hello? I'm here to take the entrance test!" Nana called, but no answer was given. As she thought about whether or not to call again, a violent banging noise filled the area, followed by a shudder. "W-What's happening?!" Nana exclaimed as the rumble slowly lifted.

"Maybe I should leave…"

As she turned to leave, out of the corner of her eye she saw something move across the floor. Nana flinched and stepped backwards but was relieved to find merely a small bunny hopping towards the opposite end of the hall. "Nin-chaaaan! Where are you?!" A girl who was Nana's age, with long, black hair tied in two pigtails and a pair of circular glasses, shouted as she walked into view. Her eyes were teal in color, and she wore a zipped up blue jacket and jean shorts. Upon seeing Nana, she stopped. "Hey, have you seen a bunny about this big?" The girl asked, gesturing the size with her hands. Without speaking, Nana pointed a finger to where the bunny had run off to. "Ah, thank you!" The black-haired girl bowed and ran off.

"That was… strange." Nana muttered to herself, but the chaos wasn't over yet. In seconds, the hall was filled with a thick smoke, which she had to squint her eyes to see through.

"I heard we have a new student wanting to enter our esteemed dormitory! Welcome, welcome!" A voice that sounded familiar spoke through what sounded like a microphone. As the smoke began to clear, two boys could be seen at the head of the staircase. "And would ya look at that! It's Miss Nana Yukihira, correct? I am Daiki Sato, but you already knew that!"

The other boy, who has short, spiky brown hair and green eyes, looked up and said, "I'm Koji Aoki, welcome to the Polar Star Dorm Miss Yukihira-"

"Hey, wait a second! That's my line!" Daiki cut off, glaring at Koji with hostility.

"But you never let me welcome the guests…"

"For a good reason!"

"So, you can be the center of attention? Like you always are?"

"Exactly! You'll just ruin the mood with how terrible you are at announcing."

"Just because I don't talk as loud as you doesn't mean I'm not a good emcee!"

"Actually, that's exactly what it means!"

In the middle of their argument, a loud voice boomed from upstairs, "HEY! CAN YOU TWO SHUT THE FUCK UP?! I CAN'T STUDY WITH ALL OF THIS NOISE!"

Immediately, the two boys froze, "Y-Yes, Tori-senpai!" They turned back to Nana, who was awkwardly standing there listening to them argue the whole time.

"My apologies, Miss Yukihira. You said you wanted to take the entrance exam, yes?" Daiki questioned and was responded with a quick nod. "Alrighty then! Hey Satoshi-san?! We have a visitor who wants to take the test!"

"Do we? How wonderful!" Another voice could be heard as a man emerged from what was most likely the kitchen. He was rather young-looking, with wavy, light-brown hair and bright, blue eyes. He wore basic black pants and a white shirt with a pink apron overtop with a bear print. At the sight of Nana, Satoshi gasped, "Ah! You're Soma and Megumi's daughter aren't you?"

Nana had a look of shock, "Wait, you-you know my parents?"

"Of course I do! I lived with them in this very dorm when I studied here. They certainly livened up the place! Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself." The man held a hand up to Nana, "My name is Satoshi Isshiki, but you may refer to me as Satoshi-san. I'm so happy to finally meet you in person, Nana-chan!"

The girl hesitated for a moment, then smiled warmly and shook the man's hand, "It's nice to meet you too, Satoshi-san!"

"Now then, as you are already aware, before I'm able to give you your room key, you must pass the test, a test held by our dorm for many generations."

"All I have to do is cook something to your liking, right?" Nana asked.

"Correct! Let us head to the kitchen to begin!"

.

.

For such a shabby-looking building, Nana couldn't deny that the kitchen was impressive. With several workplaces, a clean-cut counter and a pantry full of leftover ingredients, even the most seasoned chef could cook here.

"Alright Nana-chan, you may begin whenever you're ready!" Satoshi stated, taking a seat.

The door of the kitchen opened to reveal Daiki and Koji. "May we watch?" Koji asked timidly.

"Sure thing! I can even make extras if you want." Nana replied.

"If Nana-chan's okay with it, then so am I! Come sit!" Satoshi added, gesturing to two seats beside him. As the boys seated themselves, Nana began taking the ingredients she brought from the grocery bags.

"Pork-chops, apples and… cinnamon? That's a pretty weird combination of ingredients if you ask me." Daiki commented. He also noticed other strange ingredients that didn't quite mix together from his perspective.

"Yep, she's definitely his daughter." Satoshi added vaguely with a smile.

The boys watched Nana in amazement as she prepared her dish. Taking a skillet, she began by melting a pad of butter, making sure to coat the entire pan. Next was her main ingredient, the pork-chops. She took each chop one by one and placed them neatly into the pan, cooking them on both sides until they browned. All of this was done immediately after the other. Not a single second was wasted.

Now, it was time for the fun part.

Within a saucepan was a combination of apples, water, sugar and cinnamon that was left to cook over medium heat. Once it was cooked and cooled, Nana proceeded to take a potato masher and crush the mixture into paste, or more rather, applesauce.

"Oh, I get it! The apples and cinnamon were for applesauce! But I still don't get what it's for… I mean, pork-chops and _applesauce_? What kind of combo is that?" Daiki questioned.

Nana chuckled, "You'll find out soon enough."

And she was more than correct. Once she added onions and brown sugar, she coated the top of the chops with the applesauce and added a pinch of salt and pepper. Finally, adding apple juice into the pan as well as a bit of apple cider vinegar, she left the chops to simmer until the dish was finally completed.

The result was a juicy, tender meat, glazed golden and sprinkled with cinnamon that allowed the dish to truly sparkle like the morning sun.

"I present, Applesauce Pork-chops! It's a simple dish, but I wanted to give all of you a taste of where I came from." Nana said, glancing up at her hair clip with fond memories.

"Wow, Ms. Yukihira, this looks delicious! Thank you…" Koji said, bowing his head.

"What he said, thanks!" Daiki added with a grin.

Satoshi clasped his hands, "Thank you for the food, Nana-chan!"

"Of course! It's a pleasure to serve you!"

The three boys took a bite of the meat and as soon as its juices hit their tongues, they were sent away. Away to a different world entirely. Away to a… farm? A beautiful countryside, with a clear sky to match, replaced what was once a kitchen. Apple trees upon apple trees dotted the fields and several livestock could be seen grazing blissfully. The shiny, ripe fruits fell one after the other until the boys were buried underneath.

"DAMN this is good!" Daiki exclaimed, and although Koji was silent, he was clearly enjoying the meal.

"Ahh, I couldn't agree more! The flavor, the juiciness and tenderness of the meat… it's just, so wonderful!" Satoshi cried, literal tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm glad?" Nana said awkwardly as Satoshi held her hands in his.

"You said you wanted your dish to represent where you came, and I believe you achieved that perfectly! When I looked at those pork-chops, this wasn't the dish I expected and that reminds me so much of your father! And yet, the taste of it… that sweet, homestyle flavor, reminded me all too much of your mother!" Satoshi suddenly hugged the girl tight, causing her to flinch.

"You… you really are their daughter!" Satoshi handed her a key that read "303". "Here is the key to your new room! I hope you enjoy your stay here, Nana-chan! I know I will."

Nana's eyes widened in excitement as she took the key, turning it around in her hand, "Thank you so much Satoshi-san! I hope I'll enjoy my stay here too."

"Um, Ms. Yukihira?" Koji spoke up timidly.

Nana turned around with a "Hmm?"

"May I escort you to your-"

"Hey, wait a second! I think I deserve to be the one to take our honored guest to her room!" Daiki suddenly cut in.

"Huh? What did you ever do to deserve that?"

"Uh, being awesome?"

"That's not a real reason!"

Nana was quick to stop them this time, "Um, why don't you both walk me there?" She suggested nervously.

"Great idea, Ms. Yukihira! Much better than _his_." Koji replied, glaring at Daiki for a moment.

"Hmm, that is acceptable. Shall we?" Daiki stated.

"Alright! But just one thing, you two don't have to call me "Ms. Yukihira". Nana's just fine!"

"Well, if you insist…"

.

.

For the first time since that morning, Nana was completely alone. From everything that happened, she was happy to finally get some relaxation, or so she thought.

_Today was exhausting… Even though I've only been here for a day, so many crazy things happened. But so far, most of the people I've met have been really nice, although a little strange. Soren-kun, Chef Konichi, Satoshi-san... even Daiki-kun and Koji-kun! I would have never expected anyone from a school like this to be so kind to someone like me… _Nana clenched her fists and puffed her chest, "And now, I'm more than ready for what this school has to offer! Totsuki, come at me with all you've-"

"Hi, new dormmate!"

A boy suddenly appeared through a hatch in the ceiling.

Nana froze, "W-What the?!"

The boy smiled brightly at her. From his looks alone, it was obvious he was related to Satoshi in some way. He had the same fluffy, light-brown hair and his face was almost identical save for the eye color, which was replaced with a crimson red. "Did I interrupt your monologue? Sorry about that!"

"How did you…?" Nana questioned, gesturing towards the ceiling.

"Hmm? Oh I get it! Just think of it as a family secret." He replied with a wink.

"I-I see… So, what exactly are you doing here?"

"Oh, right! Come on over to room 205, there's a welcoming party!"

.

.

In seconds, Nana went from being alone in the comforts of her new room, to being in a new, much bigger room surrounded by people she barely knew. Alongside Daiki and Koji, Nana quickly recognized the girl with the bunny she saw upon first entering the dorm as well as the boy who invited her. There were two additional people she hadn't met, however.

"Ahh, I'm so excited you guys! IT'S PARTY TIME!" The girl with the bunny exclaimed.

"Ugh, could you keep it down? Hikaru, why did you have to make me come…" One of the two people Nana didn't meet, who had the same voice as the person who yelled at them earlier, said.

The brunette, who's name was now revealed to be Hikaru, replied, "Aww, come on Tori! It's been a while since someone new was accepted into the dorm! You don't have to be studying all the time, you know."

Tori merely sighed in response. She looked to be older than the others, more than likely the same year as Hibiki. She had green hair that was tied into a side braid, as well as a pair of square glasses. Her eye color was the exact same blue as Satoshi's, making one assume the two are related. For some reason, she still had her uniform on, as if she had forgotten to take it off. She wore it the normal way, although the ribbon that girls usually wear was replaced with the tie.  
"Ya know, I totally didn't expect you to be so cool back there, considering the opening ceremony…" Daiki said to Nana, who was quick to look away nervously.

Koji was quick to lightly slap him, "Daiki! Stop being so insensitive!"

Daiki blinked in confusion, "Insensitive? I was just being honest."

"There's a difference between being honest and being a jerk!"

And for the third time that day, Daiki and Koji ended up in a huge argument. This one, however, escalated further than the group expected.

"It's fine, please stop fighting!" Nana said in an attempt to stop them, but to no avail. "Do they really argue this much?"

"Yeah, and it's a pain in the ass too." Tori responded with an eye twitch.

Suddenly, Daiki picked up Koji by the collar of his shirt and thrusted him into a nearby bookshelf, knocking several books onto the floor. "You're such a weakling, ya know that?!"

Koji retaliated by pushing Daiki away violently, almost causing the other boy to fall, "Who's the weakling now?!"

"You guys! Stop it!" The black-haired girl exclaimed, but the boys once again ignored it. "Tori-senpai! Please do something before they ruin Na-chan's welcoming party!"

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." In no time at all, Tori rose from where she currently sat and walked up to the two boys. With enough force to knock them out cold, she grasped both their heads and smashed them together.

Nana looked at the scene before her, speechless.

Tori brushed her hands off and, noticing Nana's shocked expression, said, "Don't worry, they aren't dead, they'll regain consciousness momentarily. However, I do need to apologize for their behavior, they're morons."

"O-Okay…" _Note to self, don't get on Tori-senpai's bad side._

Just as Nana was about to rethink her life choices, the remaining person in the room approached her with a bottle and a cup in his hands, "Hello… would you like some rice juice? I'm sorry, I should've asked earlier."

He was a very tall boy, taller than everyone else. He had messy, fuchsia hair that had long bangs that were enough to cover up his right eye completely. His visible eye was orange in color, and it had noticeably long eyelashes. Clothing-wise, he wore a basic, white tee and sweatpants as well as a cross necklace around his neck.

"Oh, yes, thank you very much." Nana replied politely as the boy filled the paper cup with a foggy liquid. "I noticed the bottle's label was hand-written. Did you make this yourself?"

The boy responded with a hum and a nod, "I'm sorry for all of this, Hikaru-kun always has a welcoming party for every new member. As for everyone else, you'll get used to them eventually, I should know."

"You don't need to apologize! I think it's fun to have so many interesting people around, but I'm glad that there's one person here who seems normal."

He smiled. "Same here. Oh, my name is Tamaki Ibusaki, I hope you enjoy your stay here, Nana-chan."

"It's nice to meet you too, Tamaki-kun." _He's so polite, like Soren-kun!_

"Aww, Tama-kun! Look at you, introducing yourself to our new dormmate! It's not like you to openly greet the guests." The black-haired girl said as she sat closer to the two.

"Keiko-chan…" Tamaki muttered with a blush of embarrassment on his face.

The girl smiled and was quick to shake hands with Nana, "Keiko Marui!" She lowered her head to show the small bunny from earlier resting atop it, "And this is Nin-chan, she's my pet bunny!"

"It's nice to meet you, Keiko-chan. And your bunny as well, she's adorable!"

"Aww thanks, you don't know how excited I am for another girl I can hang out with in the dorm. There are others here too, but they're all in the Middle School division and Tori-senpai usually stays in her room all day."

"For a good reason! I need to study if I want to maintain my Elite Ten seat." Tori cut in.

"But studying all day and all night won't help you make friends!" Hikaru retorted.

"Friends? I have plenty of those." Hikaru and Keiko shot her a doubtful look. "Okay… maybe not, but I can't afford to think about that right now!"

"What about Hibiki-senpai?" Keiko suggested.

"Oh yeah! I know him, he's really nice." Nana added. "But I heard you say something about an Elite Ten?"

Immediately, the entire room looked at Nana, "What?! You don't know about the Elite Ten?!" Keiko exclaimed in shock.

"No, was I supposed to?" Nana questioned.

"The Elite Ten is only the most talented group of chefs in the entire school!"

"Yes, but I believe it's a little late for this topic. I'll explain it to you in full in the morning, Nana-chan." Tori stated, "For now, I suppose… we could maybe enjoy ourselves… just a little bit."

Hikaru gasped, "Really, you'll stay?!"

"Yes, but just for a little while!"

The brunette jumped, "YES!"

"W-What happened?!" Daiki quickly shot up from the bed, Koji following sleepily.

"You guys woke up just in time! Now, let's have some fun, yeah?"

.

.

"HAHAHAHAHA HEY GUYS, DID YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM GUM DISEASE ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO GET A STROKE OR A HEART ATTACK?!" Keiko shouted as she drank more from the cup of rice juice Tamaki gave her.

"Woah really? You're so smart Keiko-chwan, *hic*" Hikaru replied in what was essentially a shout.

"Uhh, Tamaki-kun? Was the rice juice alcoholic or...?" Nana asked, looking around at all of the others. Daiki was currently playing an acoustic guitar (and not doing a very good job at it) while Koji sang in a very loud voice uncharacteristic of the soft-spoken boy.

"It isn't." Tamaki replied.

"Ha ha ha." Tori giggled in a slurred voice, banging her head against the wall in her delirium. "Hey, can ya two please be louder? I can barely hear ya."

Tamaki sighed, "How does this keep happening?"

Nana laughed, "I dunno, but you have to admit it's pretty fun to watch!"

"Ha, I guess so…"

As the children continued their antics, Satoshi listened through the speakers. "I knew Nana-chan would fit in quickly. Now the dorm finally feels complete again!"

"_I can't wait to see what happens next!"_

**Author's Note:**

_Hello everyone! This chapter ended up being difficult to write, which is why it took longer than usual. Up until now, you will probably have noticed that the story is pretty much a parallel to the original manga, but… let's just say something different will be happening next chapter. Hope you all are excited!_

_Also, sorry if the party scene was hard to follow, I'm still trying to get better with my pacing lol.s_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**

_My apologies for the late update! It's been a bit difficult keeping up motivation when the canon story has been… not doing too well. But even when the series ends, I promise this one will continue forward because I have many plans._

_Anyways, hope you enjoy!_

.

.

A night full of chaos preceded a quiet early morning. As the sun rose up above the horizon, casting a shadow over the Polar Star Dorm, a voice rang throughout the silence…

"WAKE THE HELL UP, YOU GUYS CAN'T SLEEP IN ALL DAY, YOU KNOW?!"

The voice came from Tori Isshiki, who had just awoken from her slumber. Her green hair, which was once tied in a side braid, currently fell over her shoulders in a tangled mess. One by one, the other members of the dorm, excluding Tamaki, who had been awake for a while now, sat up and rubbed their drowsiness away. The room they slept in, which belonged to Keiko, was in complete disarray. Books were sprawled across the floor, paper cups accompanying them. Additionally, the bed looked disheveled and the liquid stains in the carpet created an image resembling a drunken college party.

"Aw man, I have to clean all of this up!" Keiko muttered dejectedly.

"Don't worry Keiko-chan, I can help." Koji replied a bit hesitantly, blushing as he did so.

"Yay! Thank you, Ko-kun~"

Through the speakers, Tori's voice called once more, "While Keiko-chan and Koji-kun clean up, I want to see the rest of you starting up your morning chores. Come on, get to work!"

.

**Chapter Five – The Queen's Arrival**

.

Per Tori's request, Nana headed outside of the dormitory along with Hikaru. The two were tasked with tending to the garden, something the girl was particularly excited about.

"So, how are you enjoying the dorm life so far?" Hikaru asked to break the silence.

"I love it! Everyone here is so… unique." Nana replied with a shine in her eyes.

"Yeah, I know right! I love being here, my Dad does a great job of running the place."

"Ah, so Satoshi-san is your father? I thought so, you sure do look alike."

Hikaru laughed, "Yeah, I get that a lot. My sister takes more after Mom, but she definitely has some of Dad's traits too, she just doesn't like to show them."

"Your Mom? Does she live here too?" Nana questioned with a head tilt.

"She does… but she's been on a trip around the world. You see, my Mom is trying to write a book about different types of cuisine, which is why she's travelling in order to research about it! She hasn't come home in a while though…" Nana could've sworn she saw a hint of sadness in the boy's crimson eyes as he spoke.

"Oh, I see… Well, if Tori-senpai is similar to her like you said, then I'm sure she's a lovely woman."

Hikaru grinned brightly, the sorrow washing away instantly as if it was never there to begin with, "She sure is! I'm sure you'll get a chance to meet her someday!"

"I'll be looking forward to it!"

As the two continued walking in silence, they eventually saw Tamaki cutting down large chunks of wood using a chainsaw. Nana was a bit surprised at first, as despite his rather limber body type, he looked to be quite strong with the way he held the tool. From his expression and the fact that he didn't even notice Nana and Hikaru walking by, the fuchsia-haired boy was extremely focused on his work.

Seeing Nana's quizzical expression, Hikaru explained, "Oh, that's how Tamaki-kun gets the wood he uses for his smoking!"

"Ah, so then smoking is his specialty?"

"Yep! He also works with fermentation sometimes, but his smoked dishes are always the best!"

"Interesting. So, everyone here has a cooking style of their own?"

Hikaru nodded, "Uh huh! Let's see… there's Keiko-chan, who cooks using game meat. We own several farm pens with animals she raises herself! She's great with knowing the exact amount of food an animal needs in order for the meat to have just the right amount of fat."

"Wow…" _From the way she acted during the party, I'd never have guessed she'd be so smart!_

"Then there's Koji-kun who specializes in vegetarian dishes, while Daiki-kun prefers using grilling techniques for his. I'm sure you would've already guessed, but they fight a lot over who's style is better."

Nana laughed at that, "Yeah, they really do fight a lot, don't they?"

"Since the day they arrived at the dorm. Anyways, my sister and my Dad both cook traditional Japanese cuisine while my Mom and I are good with soba!"

"Hmm, you all have so many unique ways of cooking…"

"Yep! That's the pride and joy of our dorm! Every ingredient we use is gotten here and everyone has their own specialty! And with my Dad running the place, who wouldn't want to stay here?"

_Hikaru-kun sure is proud of the dorm, huh? It's honestly cute to see him so excited about it! _"I know I love being here, even if it hasn't even been one day. I still can't even believe how nice you've all been so far. It really is refreshing…"

Hikaru smiled, "I'm happy to hear that! Oh, by the way, I've been meaning to ask you this since you arrived but, what's your specialty?"

"My specialty? Well, I've always loved cooking with fruits and vegetables! Back at home, I have this garden that my Mom and I take care of."

"Oh, I see. If that's the case, then you're gonna love the dorm's garden! It's huge and has all kinds of different produce and- Oh, here we are!"

Nana's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. A bountiful garden filled her vision, speckled with all kinds of fruits and vegetables in differing colors. If the garden in the Yukihira diner was a culinary paradise, this was culinary _heaven._

"So, what do you think?" Hikaru asked after he allowed Nana a few moments to fully process the beauty of the Polar Star Dorm garden.

"It's… absolutely amazing…" A tear began trickling down the girl's cheek. Not because of sadness or even joy. It was because of nostalgia. After all the crazy things she's seen over the course of a day, she was happy to finally see something that felt… familiar.

"Of course, it is! Now, we should probably start working or else my sister will give us an earful."

"Yeah." Nana wiped the tears away with her sleeve, "Okay."

.

.

For a good duration of the morning, Nana and Hikaru spent their time plucking weeds and picking all kinds of ripe fruits from the ever-bountiful garden. After half an hour or so, Tamaki, Keiko and Koji came by to help lighten the workload. Even later, Daiki joined as well. Despite her usual independent outlook on gardening, Nana would be lying if she said it wasn't fun working with all of them.

"Are we done yet?" Daiki asked as he wiped sweat from his glistening forehead.

"You haven't even been here for ten minutes, Daiki-kun…" Tamaki commented without looking up from the strawberry patch he was working on.

"Yes, but all this sweat is messing up my hair!"

"Deal with it." Koji responded in a tone that was very uncharacteristic of the soft-spoken boy.

"But…"

"Don't worry about it, Dai-kun! I'm sure if Taka-chan saw you right now, she'd say you look pretty attractive!" Keiko said with a wink.

"Y-You think so?"

"Hehe, I know so!"

"Well, if that's the case then, I'LL DO IT FOR TAKARA-CHAN!" Daiki exclaimed as he began violently pulling weeds from the pepper patch.

"Thanks, Keiko-chan." Koji whispered.

"No problem!" Was the response.

More time passed and it was nearly eight by the time the group finished. Each person held at least one basket of produce in hand (Nana held three) and was nearly drenched in sweat due to the Spring heat. Once they arrived back at the dorm, they were greeted with a familiar green-haired girl.

"I see you all did well. Come to the dining hall, Father and I made lunch."

.

.

"Hey Hikaru-kun, I have a question." Nana said to the boy beside her.

"Yeah?"

"Umm, well… it's just that… Why is your Dad wearing nothing but an apron?"

As the occupants of the dorm sat down to enjoy their meal, including several other residents from lower years that she didn't see the day prior, Nana couldn't help but notice Satoshi's rather… odd attire, or lack thereof. He wore the same pink apron, but that was literally it. He was practically naked which certainly surprised her.

"Oh, don't worry, you'll get used to it." Hikaru replied, completely dodging the question.

"Ah, o-okay…"

Satoshi and Tori proceeded to place several trays woven like baskets in front of the dorm members.

"It isn't very complicated, but Father and I cooked a traditional Japanese breakfast consisting of steamed rice, miso soup, yakizakana and tsukemono. I hope you enjoy it." Tori explained, mostly to Nana, and bowed respectfully.

Despite her saying it was uncomplicated, in presentation, the dish looked exquisite. The tray was filled with bowls and plates that contained the different foods Tori described. In one, a bowl of white rice that almost looked like snow, save for the trail of steam that flowed from it. In another, a foggy liquid that held in its depths the various ingredients used to make the perfect miso soup, such as tofu and daikon. Taking its lid off was like unveiling a glorious new invention, as the steam cleared to present the beauty and aroma of the soup. The yakizakana, or grilled fish, was dried horse mackerel, a popular fish used in Japanese breakfasts. It looked to be cooked using a pan and was lightly dusted with salt, bearing a brownish-gold color. Finally, the side dish was tsukemono, an assortment of pickled vegetables that were likely gathered from the garden. Finally, two wooden chopsticks were displayed at the end of the tray, completing the look of a traditional Japanese breakfast.

_Woah, this looks amazing! So, this is what second years can make…_

"Thanks for the food!" The kids all spoke in unison.

As they each took their first bite, a fantasy enveloped their minds. They were suddenly placed in what seemed to be a festival, where they all wore kimonos of differing colors. All around them were different booths and other attractions that represented the many foods on their tray. For even just a few moments, the kids enjoyed themselves at this breakfast festival, almost bonding in a way.

No words were spoken, just the sounds of eating filled the dining hall. The silence, however, didn't feel wrong to any of them. Instead, it was a comforting quietness that continued until most of the meal was devoured.

"Ahh, this tastes so good!" Keiko exclaimed.

"You said it, Keiko-chan! But that's to be expected when Dad and Tori cook together." Hikaru added. Tamaki hummed in approval while Koji and Daiki were having an eating competition.

"I'm glad. Yukihira-chan, what do you think?" Tori questioned. "Father said he wanted to make something special for your first day with us." Satoshi nodded as he continued blissfully eating his meal.

"I… I love it." Nana answered. She was so dumbfounded that she found it difficult to find the right words to describe it. "You guys are amazing, I-I could never…"

Tori smiled and closed her eyes, "I wouldn't have been able to achieve this level of cooking had I not attended this school."

Satoshi set down his bowl of soup and locked eyes with Nana, "Don't worry, Nana-chan. If you passed the transfer exams, then surely you must be a talented chef. Of course, it'll take time to get to my daughter's level, but even she had to work hard to get where she is today."

Nana's eyes widened, "You really think so, Satoshi-san?"

The man smiled, "I believe each and every one of you will grow to be successful cooks!" His expression turned serious for a moment, "Maybe even good enough to earn a spot on the Elite Ten."

"That's right, Tori-senpai, can you tell me about the Elite Ten? Didn't you say you were a part of it?" Nana asked to the second year.

"Hm, I did promise that, didn't I? Well, I'll try to make it quick. The Elite Ten are essentially a council consisting of the ten best chefs in the academy. We are one of the highest decision-making bodies, as we are just below the director, meaning even the teachers have to heed our choices. Additionally, we come with many privileges that increase with each seat and earn the respect and admiration of the many students of Totsuki."

"Tori's the sixth seat! Which is pretty impressive since she's only a second-year!" Hikaru added.

"Wow, that is impressive!" Nana commented in astonishment. "So, how do you get in the Elite Ten?"

"Well," Tori started, but before she could speak, Daiki rose from his seat.

"You have to compete in a cooking duel to the death!" The blue-haired boy shouted.

"T-To the death?!" Nana exclaimed.

"No, not to the death. Sato's simply being an idiot." Tori stated agitatedly. "What he is trying to say is, to earn a spot in the Elite Ten, you must challenge a member to a shokugeki."

"Shoku…geki?"

"Yes. In fact, any and all disputes at Totsuki are solved in this manner. A shokugeki is a cooking competition in which two students must agree on certain conditions and then engage in a cook-off. Generally, both competitors must offer something of corresponding value…" Tori's eyes shifted as she said that. "Finally, there must be an odd number of judges. Once you meet those conditions, then it is possible to challenge anyone in the school."

"Some shokugekis are even broadcasted to the whole school!" Daiki added.

_Broadcasted?! Like in front of people?! I sure hope I don't end up in a shokugeki like that!_

"Wow… Totsuki's very, um, competitive compared to other schools, huh?"

"Indeed. Even the smallest arguments can bubble into a full-blown shokugeki. And when you are a member of the Elite Ten, you can expect many to challenge your seat."

"If you want to be a pacifist, then you might as well pack up and leave." Tamaki stated vaguely, causing Nana to look at him confusedly.

"Tama-kun is saying that surviving at Totsuki requires you to be just as aggressive as the rest of the students here, especially if you want to prove yourself!" Keiko explained further.

"That is correct. In order to earn the respect of the school, you have to earn it through shokugekis. There isn't any other option." Tori said.

"Unless you're rich." Daiki added, which seemed to make Tori angered, as she crossed her arms and gave a death glare to the boy, who nonchalantly shrugged.

"Wow… this is all so much…" Nana spoke, trying to process all the information she was just given.

"I think Nana-chan has been given enough info about our school for one day." Satoshi commented, noticing her bewildered expression. "Besides, you should all be getting ready to head to classes."

"Ah right, forgot we had those." Daiki said, getting up and starting to head to the stairs.

"Okay!" Keiko got up and followed suit. Koji and Tamaki silently stood up and walked to their rooms as well.

"Well, I should be going too. I'll see you around, Yukihira-chan." Tori nodded.

"Yeah, see you later, Tori-senpai!" Nana called to the girl.

Nana felt a hand on her shoulder as she turned to see Satoshi smiling brightly at her. "Don't worry Nana-chan, I know you'll do great."

She smiled at his reassurance, "Thank you."

.

.

Walking through the many halls of Totsuki was like walking through a maze. There were so many students heading to and from several different classrooms and Nana was currently making her way to her own class. Although she was alone, she soon would be joined by a familiar face.

As the blue-haired girl navigated the hallway, a red rose appeared in front of her, causing her to flinch backwards.

"Did I scare you? My apologies, I just wanted to offer a beautiful rose to an equally beautiful lady." The voice belonged to none other than Soren Nakiri, Nana's cooking partner who she had met just the other day.

"S-Soren-kun?! I mean, we just met so…" Nana responded, clearly flustered.

The white-haired boy laughed, "Not to worry, Nana-chan! This is something I do for everyone." As if to show her, Soren took another rose (Where did it even come from?) and passed it to another girl who squealed as she took it. "Doing something as simple as give a rose to someone could brighten up their day! Don't you agree?"

"Oh, I understand! Yes, I totally agree with you, Soren-kun! And, thank you for the rose."

Soren's face lit up as Nana thanked him, "Do you mind if I walk with you to our next class?"

"Haha, not at all! Actually, I was hoping to have someone to talk to…"

"Well, then I'm happy to oblige! Um, actually, I wanted to tell you something."

"Hmm?"

A hint of pink appeared on the pale complexion of the boy as he nervously scratched the back of his head, "It's just that well, I'm really blessed to have you as my partner…"

"Aww, that's so sweet of you! And the same goes for me, I honestly thought you would be a way different person than you ended up being… I'm sorry for judging you…"

"Oh, no, that's okay! I understand why you'd think that of me…"

"It was because you just seemed really popular, so I thought that maybe you'd hate me because well, I'm from a diner."

"I see, well, it's the opposite actually! I was really happy to see that you didn't know who I was."

"…That's a good thing?"

Soren laughed nervously, "It does sound strange hearing that, doesn't it? You see, I'm a part of one of the most famous culinary lineages in the world… the Nakiri family."

"Oh yeah, you have the same surname as the director!"

"Yes, Erina Nakiri is my aunt actually. She takes care of my sister and I while our parents are busy managing their own restaurant chain."

"Wow! So, that's why everyone was giving me those scary looks during class yesterday."

"Ah…" Soren's red eyes dimmed sullenly, "Yes, that happens to everyone who is, well, "lucky" to cook with me. But the problem is that, to put it simply, they only admire me because of my family."

"Oh…"

"The main reason why is because of my sister, Ria. She's a member of the Elite Ten, and a very high seat in fact." Nana's eyes widened as she heard the words come from Soren's mouth, "She is… the second seat."

"Second?! That's such a high seat!"

"Yes, it is. But because of that, people expect me to place just as high, if not, higher, for no reason other than me being her brother. Because of this, I am unable to create a reputation for myself, as I am no one else but Ria's kid brother or the director's nephew…"

"But isn't it a good thing to come from such a talented family?"

"Yes, but… don't get me wrong, but I find it to be luckier to come from a more humble background like yours, Nana-chan."

Nana tilted her head, puzzled, "Luckier?"

"I would rather have a life like that, then have my future created for me or have friends who only exist to take advantage of my wealth or influence."

Soren looked at Nana's face, which showed a rather somber expression. "Oh, I'm sorry! I shouldn't be saying things like this…"

"No, don't be sorry… Actually, you saying that made me feel better about yesterday."

"Really?"

Nana smiled, "Yeah! And don't worry, Soren-kun, I'll never think of you as anything but my partner and friend."

_Friend, huh… _Soren thought to himself, as he reciprocated the smile, "Thank you, Nana-chan, for being the first real friend I have." The pink tint on the boy's cheeks quickly turned red as he suddenly grew flustered, "I'm sorry, that got a little deep."

Nana laughed, "It's fine, I'm glad I got to know you more."

Soren thought to himself for a moment, then it seemed as though a light bulb went off in his head, "Hey… would you want to meet my sister?"

"Hm?"

"Well, I was wondering if after classes you'd like to join me in watching Ria's shokugeki? She has one today and I thought it might be fun if we watched together…"

"And see what a member of the Elite Ten is like? Of course, I'd love to!"

"Okay! I'll meet you outside your last classroom after school then!"

.

.

The day passed quickly, and all Nana could think about was the shokugeki. This would be the first one she's ever seen and a member of the Elite Ten was a part of it! Not to mention, her cooking partner's sister of all people! She could barely contain her excitement by the time Soren met up with her.

The two made their way to what looked like a giant dome. Inside was a center platform that contained all of the necessities of cooking, like an oven and stove, and it was surrounded by a sea of bleachers that students began seating themselves in.

"Here's a good spot!" Soren said as he picked two seats that were nearly in the center of the middle row. As the two took their seats, Nana couldn't help but notice a VIP section at the very top of the stadium. Within it, was a boy who looked to be a third year, with extremely pale skin and bright red hair.

"Hey, Soren-kun, shouldn't you be a VIP? This is your sister's shokugeki after all." Nana asked.

"I should be one, but I find sitting with the rest of the audience to be more fun! It means I get to share their excitement."

"Oh, I see! Wow, it's really packed."

"That tends to happen when an Elite Ten member has a shokugeki. Since it's the second seat, I suppose people are even more excited to see what they will cook."

Suddenly, a spotlight appeared in the center of the stadium and a girl entered. She had long, orange hair that was tied into a high ponytail with a black bow. Her cheeks both had a diamond marking and her eyes were a pale pink. The usual school blouse was replaced with a black no-sleeve shirt.

"Hello, darlings! Welcome to today's shokugeki! I will be your host for tonight, Chidori Kusonoki!"

The audience erupted into cheers as two more spotlights appeared in each station. With a flourish of her arm, Chidori spoke, "And now, it's time to meet our lovely competitors! From the second year, a boy with a hell of a lot of confidence, we have Tsuneki Akita!"

A tall boy, with thin black hair and a rather heavy body type, walked into view. He had a cocky smirk as he joined Chidori in the center stage.

"Our second competitor, you know her, you love her, you wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley, it's our very own, Ria Nakiri!"

The crowd roared when the woman appeared. Nana felt a sinister vibe from her. She was extremely tall, even taller than Tsuneki, and her silky black hair flowed in a ponytail. Her looks were just like Soren's, absolutely beautiful, but it was her face that sent shivers down Nana's spine. Like her brother, her eyes were red, but they were darker, more crimson, and completely emotionless. Additionally, underneath them laid two very apparent eye bags. Overall, she looked very sharp and intimidating, as if she was silently judging everyone in the room.

"There she is, the She-devil herself." Soren muttered.

"Before we begin this shokugeki, let me go over the conditions!" Chidori continued. "If Akita wins, then Ria-sama must give up her seat to him! Pretty basic stuff, if you ask me. However, if Ria-sama is the winner, then Akita must give her his prized hairbrush."

"Hairbrush?! I thought the conditions were supposed to be fair." Nana commented.

Soren sighed, "That's my sister for you, coming up with completely ridiculous conditions just to have a shokugeki."

"And now let's meet our judges!" Chidori called as another spotlight shone on a table with three people seated at it, two women and a man.

"From the famous brand "Roaring Tiger", please give a warm welcome to Chinatsu Kinoshita!"

A tired, somewhat depressed-looking, woman raised a hand. She was of average height for a woman her age and her short brown hair was styled in a bob. Her droopy eyes were dark brown in color. Finally, her outfit looked very old and worn, as if she had bought it at a thrift store.

_It doesn't seem like she wants to be here… _Nana thought to herself.

"Next we have Ayaka Abe, a wonderful actress who also doubles as the spokeswoman for the Golden Palace!"

Cheerfully, another woman waved to the audience. She looked to be younger than the other two judges, her big, purple eyes shining with excitedness. Her curly, red hair was long and bushy, falling over her shoulders. Her clothing was traditional-looking and fitted her rather curvy form nicely

"And finally, we have Takuya Okamoto, a famous food critic!"

The final judge had a stern look about him. His eyes were almost as gray as his thinning hair, showing that he was definitely the oldest judge of the three. He had a muscular build and wore a basic, black suit. A simple nod to the audience was his only gesture.

"The creator of a food brand, a spokeswoman for a restaurant and a food critic…" Nana muttered.

"Shokugeki judges usually have a lot of experience with the culinary business." Soren explained.

_I've never heard of them before. I guess I really don't know much about the culinary world._

"And last, but certainly not least, the theme for today is dessert! Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for…"

"I can't wait to see your face when I win." Tsuneki called in a cocky tone.

Ria didn't reply, she simply continued glaring at her opponent with that emotionless expression.

"Here we go…" Soren said.

_"Let the shokugeki against Tsuneki Akita and Ria Nakiri BEGIN!"_


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **_Today's chapter is a bit on the short side, but it's got a lot of intense action packed into it that I think you will all enjoy! We're gonna be getting to the Training Camp soon, so thanks for your patience with my horrible posting schedule._

_Also, this chapter features some advanced cooking techniques that even though I researched a lot about, are probably not accurately written. Just a fair warning._

_Hope you enjoy!_

**.**

**Chapter Six – Dessert Fit for Royalty **

**.**

"Let the shokugeki between Tsuneki Akita and Ria Nakiri BEGIN!" Chidori shouted and with zero hesitation the two chefs went to their stations and began preparations. While Tsuneki began boiling a combination of water and sugar, Ria went somewhat slower with her process, whisking flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

"I know she's probably an amazing chef, but Ria-sama isn't trying very hard…" Nana muttered to herself, earning a puzzled look from Soren. She immediately covered her mouth, "Did I say that out loud?"

The boy shook his head, "It's alright. She always does this, I'm sure it's just to taunt her opponent…"

Nana couldn't help but notice Soren's eyes glancing at Ria, although it wasn't directly at her face, but rather, something in her hair. It was then that she realized the girl had a strange-looking bandanna wrapped around her ponytail. Pitch black with bones adorning it. She could only wonder what it was about the accessory that caught his eye.

Meanwhile, the audience watched in awe as Ria began the next part of her dessert. Within a saucepan was an assortment of sugar, water, lemon juice and raspberries, which she stirred in the same plain fashion. Yet, several people in the crowd were swooning over her cooking as if she were pulling off some sort of impressive maneuver. Nana simply couldn't understand them.

"Ria-sama is so kind to let that poor guy get a head start!" One student who sat near Nana and Soren said.

"I know right? Ahh, she's so incredible…" Their friend replied.

_I don't understand, what is it about her that's so amazing? I don't want to be mean to Soren-kun, but… _Nana thought to herself as she glanced back to the second seat's competition.

Tsuneki was sifting in what looked to be matcha into his syrup mixture, transforming it to a forest green hue. From there, he laid out a sheet of parchment paper onto a jelly roll pan, lightly dusting it with confectioner's sugar. Satisfied with his work done so far, he observed his opponent's work and laughed as he watched her near snail pace.

"Aww what's wrong _Ria-sama_? Are you tired from all the Elite Ten work?"

The girl shot a glare at Tsuneki before focusing back on her dish.

"Ha, well, by the looks of it, you won't have to worry for much longer." It was clear he was trying to get under Ria's skin, but unfortunately for him, she had rather tough nerves. She continued stirring her sauce without uttering a word. "Can't even think of a comeback, eh? I figured the second seat would be more impressive." Once the third strike passed, Tsuneki shrugged and resumed cooking.

"I wonder what they're making…" Nana wondered aloud.

"So far it looks like the Akita guy is making something matcha related. Possibly a cake?" Soren replied.

The two watched Tsuneki whisk together egg yolks and whites in two separate bowls. With astounding dexterity, he began speeding up his mixing as sugar was added into the whites.

_So, he's using both the whites AND the yolks of the eggs… That must mean…_

"He's making a matcha-themed sponge cake!" Nana spoke.

Soren gasped, "You're right, Nana-chan! Sponge cake has a fluffier, souffle-like texture that absorbs syrups better than regular cakes." _Akita has good knowledge of texture, but I'm afraid that won't be enough to beat my sister._

On the other end of the spectrum, Ria was nearly finished mixing her own cake batter. Taking out a bottle of expensive-looking red wine, she added the liquor to the mixture.

"…Red wine?" Nana said confusedly.

"Wine is a staple of Ria's dishes. She never cooks anything without including some form of it." Soren explained. "If I were to guess, she's probably using dark chocolate, since that pairs well with red wine."

"Hm."

Once the cake batter was placed neatly into two circular pans and placed in the oven, it was finally time to show just what the second seat is capable of.

"…Akita."

Tsuneki's neck craned to face his adversary. It was the first time the girl spoke at all during the entire Shokugeki. He smirked and said, "Ah, so the second seat CAN talk!"

"I wouldn't act so over-confident if I were you." Her words were as sharp as glass. "It soils your cooking. Any real chef would know that much."

"Real chef?!" Tsuneki shouted in anger, "I AM a real chef!"

"We'll see how long that lasts… Tell me, do you know what this is?"

In Ria's hand was a very strange device. The base of it looked akin to a water bottle in shape, but the cap was replaced with a pump and nozzle. It seemed to be made of metal. Tsuneki clearly had no idea what the tool was, staring at it with a confused expression.

"This is a whipping siphon, a basic tool used in molecular gastronomy."

"Molecular whatnow?"

Ria sighed and didn't even bother explaining what that meant. Instead, she took a bowl that contained the raspberry sauce she made earlier and dipped the whipping siphon into it. True to its name, the second she pressed down on the pump, the nozzle began to whir and buzz, taking in the liquid and propelling it back out.

"What the… hell?" Tsuneki questioned aloud.

"Molecular gastronomy is my sister's specialty." Soren explained. "Mother taught her when we were younger. I could never understand it, but she told us that it was based around the science of chemical compounds in food."

"Wow, I've never seen anyone cook like that before!" Nana said.

"It's extremely advanced, that's for sure…"

Nana watched Ria in astonishment. This wasn't the same cook she saw before. The look in her crimson gaze was completely different. Still emotionless as before, but there was a calculating, borderline menacing glint within them. It's said that the eyes are the window to the soul, and Nana was experiencing that firsthand.

In mere minutes, the sauce had transformed itself into a foamy substance.

"H-How did it do that?!" Tsuneki exclaimed.

"Nitrous Oxide."

"Nitrous Oxide? Can you quit being so damn vague?"

"I don't bother explaining anything to someone who cares more about showmanship than their cooking."

Tsuneki growled in anger. The one who had attempted to get into their opponent's head was now the target. Although she barely even tried, Ria had successfully manipulated his mind, leaving nothing but pure rage. "Showmanship… That bitch is gonna eat her fucking words…"

"Nitrous oxide… Isn't that the gas they use at the dentist?" Nana asked.

"You're right… Most people would call it 'laughing gas', but I guess it can be used for more than just pain relief, huh?" Soren replied with a laugh.

"Yeah…" _There really is more to cooking than I thought… Ria-sama really is as amazing as they say! _"Things are really starting to heat up, though."

"Yep. This kind of thing is common during Shokugekis."

"Hm... Have you ever been in a Shokugeki before, Soren-kun?"

"Me? Oh no, not yet. I'd rather stay out of these sort of things."

"I totally understand. All of these people watching…" Nana shivered. "I don't know if I could handle that…"

"Perhaps one day you and I could have one. Just a friendly competition. No one watching except the judges."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"For now, it looks like Akita's dish is done baking." Soren observed as Tsuneki took out the now baked matcha cake batter from the oven. He had coated the entire tray with the mixture and sprinkled it with confectioner's sugar. Using a cookie cutter, he formed them into mini cakes. Another bowl to the side was combined with heavy cream and the egg yolks. To finish it, Tsuneki sifted in matcha and folded in mascarpone cheese.

Finally, it was time for him to combine each of the parts into one complete dish. Within mini glass cups, matcha syrup was drizzled over the cake and soaked in. The matcha cream was then dolloped onto each of them for a clean finish. The first dish of the Shokugeki was complete.

"Looks like Tsuneki Akita is the first one to complete his dessert! Now, it's time for our lovely judges to taste it!" Chidori called.

Three servings of the cake were placed onto the judge's table, one for each of them. They looked visibly appealing, with their soft, delicate exterior showing the lightness of the dish. The whole dessert was green in color, yet it looked absolutely delectable.

"I present to you, Matcha Tiramisu, or Matchamisu as I like to call it."

Chinatsu eyed the dish with a curious look in her eyes, tilting her head to look at it from every angle. Meanwhile, Ayaka looked delighted to be served this "Matchamisu" as she clasped her hands together in glee. Takuya, however, didn't seem very impressed.

"I must say, this looks rather plain." The old man critiqued.

"It's so… green." Chinatsu added.

"Yes, it is matcha-based. Matcha is green." Tsuneki replied with an eyeroll. Takuya clearly took note of the boy's rude mannerisms because his eyes went sharp once he said it.

"Well, I for one am excited to try this!" Ayaka exclaimed with optimism, picking up the spoon that was rested next to the cup.

Tsuneki bowed, "I hope you all enjoy."

The three judges scooped into the dessert, taking note of how light and airy it felt as they did so. In unison, they placed the food inside their mouths and were whisked away from reality. They found themselves falling from the sky into a very green forest. Extremely green. So green that they could swear no other color existed other than green. Once they hit the ground, they realized that the earth wasn't as hard as they thought it would be. It was actually… bouncy? Each judge bounced up and down on the grass that was just as soft and light as the dessert itself, laughing merrily.

Chinatsu let out a giggle, which completely contradicted her mood beforehand, "Haha, this is fucking amazing! The cake is so delicate that it melts in your mouth as soon as you eat it!"

"Eating this dessert just makes me so happy all of a sudden!" Ayaka spoke as she held her cheeks joyfully.

"You see, texture plays a large part in altering the mood of the person eating it. I figured something lighter and fluffier would result in a happier feeling than something rich." Tsuneki explained, glancing at Ria for a moment then back at the judges.

"Okamoto-san, what do you think?" Ayaka questioned the third judge curiously.

"I think…" Takuya started; his eyes darkened for a moment. Tsuneki awaited his response with bated breath. But just as he assumed the old man didn't like his dish, he grinned wide and spoke, "This is one of the best desserts I've ever tasted! I've never felt this young since I went to High School!"

Tsuneki let out a sigh of relief then puffed out his chest, "I knew you'd think it was delicious!"

"The plainness of the Matchamisu is merely a disguise to hide the true taste of joy hidden within it! The airiness of the cake mixed with the sweetness of the cream, truly remarkable!"

"Thank you."

"It looks like Akita's dish was a success! Now we await our second competitor!" Chidori announced.

Tsuneki turned to Ria, who was currently tampering with another complicated piece of equipment, no doubt used in her molecular gastronomy. The boy fake yawned and put his arms over his head, "Hey _Ria-sama_? We can't wait all day, you know."

The girl was too focused on completing her dessert to listen to her opponent's jeers. She was just about completed with her cake, turning off the machine and spreading whatever she used it for in between the two layers. For a finish, she placed the raspberry foam on top and allowed it to drip down towards the plate. Finally, she added a raspberry drizzle.

Carrying the three plates, Ria walked over to the judge's table, not bothering to even glance in Tsuneki's direction. She put one plate in front of each judge, and they looked at the delicacy with awe.

The cake itself was moist and had a reddish tint due to the red wine mixed in. The foam on top glistened in the light as it continued seeping within the crevices of the cake, watering the mouth. The thick layer of gelatinous raspberry syrup added a bright accent color that brought the dessert together.

"I call this dessert, the Cake of Blood and Death." Ria stated with no emotion, which made her dish's title sound all the more threatening.

"C-Cake of what?!" Nana exclaimed.

"That is a rather intimidating title." Takuya said bluntly and Ria nodded in reply.

"I like it. It sounds edgy and mysterious." Chinatsu said.

"I-I don't know… it scares me a little." Ayaka added with a shiver.

Ria glared at the shaking judge, "Are you afraid of my dish?"

"N-No! Of course not! Um, let's just taste it…"

Repeating what they did with Tsuneki's dish, the judges each took a bite from the cake together and were once again teleported to another dimension. This time, it was darker and certainly gorier. They all stood in the middle of a battlefield with enemies all around them, staring with intensity and weapons of all kinds drawn. However, they weren't afraid, in fact, they felt a surge of power flow through their veins. The three of them took down each enemy one by one (One such enemy was suspiciously green) and as they did so, they could feel themselves getting stronger until no one was left but them. They were victorious. They were… powerful.

"W-What is this? Such power…" Chinatsu muttered in an intense tone.

"I feel like I can take on anything…" Ayaka said.

"Indeed, I feel like I'm in one of those shows the kids watch nowadays!" Takuya added. "The taste of this cake is so intense and rich… yet something about it brings balance."

"You're right… it's this texture… could it be?" The judges all looked at Ria for the answer, as if she was their master.

"The foam. I also added a layer of raspberry gelatin with my emulsifying machine."

Tsuneki's eyes widened, "What?! That stupid foam was all it took?!"

Ria turned to face Tsuneki, "The foam added a lighter texture that balanced the richness of the dark chocolate. I thought you knew all about texture…"

The boy's face scrunched up in anger and he crossed his arms with a huff.

"It's true! The mellow sweetness of the raspberry provides a different flavor than just richness. If it had just been the dark chocolate cake, the taste would have been too overpowering but with this inclusion…"

"I hold the power." The judges said in unison.

"You understand well." Ria replied, as if she was congratulating a pupil.

"I don't believe I've ever tasted something quite like this. And I've tasted many dishes." Takuya spoke. "If the other boy's dish was remarkable, then I'd say this is downright revolutionary!"

"W-What?! There's no fucking way hers is better than mine!" Tsuneki exclaimed angrily.

"Try it." Ria commanded, "I made an extra."

Tsuneki grumbled, "Yeah whatever, these stupid judges are just overreacting…" Ria handed him a plate with the cake along with a fork. Hesitantly, he bit into the dessert and found himself in the exact same scenario as the judges.

_What the hell is this feeling? It's like I suddenly grew ten times stronger! Could a dish really do that? R-Ria-sama truly is the queen of Totsuki… _

The boy fell to his knees, shaking intensely while Ria stood above him staring down menacingly. "I-I don't want to admit it, but…" He paused for a second, then spoke,

"Ria-sama is a better cook than I could ever hope to be."

.

.

"And the winner of this Shokugeki is… RIA NAKIRI!" The crowd exploded into cheers and applause as the victor's name was shown on the big screen. Nana couldn't help but clap along with them.

"Wow! That was incredible!" She exclaimed. "I can't believe I doubted your sister for a second, Soren-kun!" She turned to look at her friend with excitement but was disappointed to see him looking down with a sullen expression.

"She didn't even try…" He muttered.

"What do you mean?" Nana questioned, but Soren was too focused to hear her. So, she looked back into the stadium as she watched Ria hold out a hand to help her opponent up. She noticed that once she did so, she whispered something into the boy's ear. Something that made him shrivel up in fear, as he took his hairbrush that he owed her and handed it to her with a shaky hand.

"That concludes today's Shokugeki! Thank you all for coming and see you next time!" Chidori called and the audience members began rising from their seats to leave the stadium. Nana and Soren followed suit. The two parted ways at the exit, saying their goodbyes. Soren still seemed a bit off from his usual nature, but Nana was unable to ask him why. She decided it would be rude to press the matter further and walked back to her dorm as the sun began to set behind her.

_Little did she know, she would never hear the name "Tsuneki Akita" at Totsuki ever again._


End file.
